Choices
by libbzyol
Summary: It had started as any other mission would have done. But when Splinter and Mikey get hurt protecting their family, the three brothers have to make a devastating choice. Will it break the family apart, or just Michelangelo? (WARNING: CONTAINS CHARACTER DEATH) (bad summary omg)
1. Chapter 1

**hiya guys! ive been inactive for a while, but i found this 9k fanfiction that I didn't even realise I wrote from 2013, so I thought I would post it for you guys:)**

**Disclaimer: libbzyol does not own the tmnt characters, although she wishes she did. Please enjoy chapter 1!**

**-libbzyol**

"Donnie quick! He doesn't have a pulse! I, he, and, DONNIE HE'S FADING HELP!" One of the brothers practically screamed from the other side of the room.

Donnie began to lose his breath as he pounded on the chest of another one of the family who was now fighting for his life. "JUST DO CPR, I CAN'T HELP YOU, EITHER WE LOSE ONE OR WE LOSE BOTH!"

"NO!"

.

48 HOURS EARLIER:

"I can't believe we brought Sensei out to a Kraang operation, whose idea was this in the first place!" Leonardo complained as the brothers followed the tracks of their father, who was just out of earshot.

"Umm Leo, it was his idea. We can't argue with that" Mikey replied, shaking his head. He had a bad feeling about this, but he decided to ignore it as he turned on his headset, which was linked to Splinter's headset.

Leo gave the signal, and Mikey nodded, pressing a button on his headset. "Sensei, we have visuals on the targets, do not engage until we say so" Mikey whispered in an army talk fashion. The brothers liked talking like that with every chance they had, so they took this opportunity to do so.

"Michelangelo, shouldn't I be giving the orders?" Sensei's calm but deep voice resonated through the headset.

Mikey raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. "No Father, not this time, we are the dudes who know about the Kraang, so you follow our orders, sorry." Mikey replied in the calmest of voices.

"Okay my son, I can also see the targets."

By this time the brothers had split up and assumed their positions.

"Sensei has a visual, Donnie? Raph? Leo? Come in"

"We hear ya Mike, loud and clear. I see about 15 Kraang, each carrying a jar of mutagen, and a few new ray guns of some sort" Raph stated down the headset.

Donnie's eyes widened as he saw the Kraang technology. "Guys beware, Sensei, the guns are carrying the latest Kraang poison. Keep sharp"

"Of course Donatello." Sensei replied, crouching down on top of the water-tower, directly above the Kraang activity site.

"On my signal" Leo began, and narrowed his eyes. "Engage, but silently" Leo finally gave the signal, and the Ninja's bounced liked balls down the sides of the buildings, each taking out a Kraang bot quietly and dragging them behind dumpsters. They regrouped and nodded at each other.

"Mikey and Raph, take left, Donnie take centre, Sensei and I will flank right. Ready? Recon is over, weapons free." Leo explained, and the brothers sprung into battle engaging their enemy.

"It is the ones who call themselves the turtles, Kraang" One Kraang bot stated.

Another nodded its metal head, and replied softly. "Kraang, I believe that it is the time to test the poison that will defeat the ones who call themselves the turtles."

2 of the unseen Kraang bots then pulled out their poison launchers, and picked their targets. One aimed for a very still Raphael, and the other aimed for Donatello.

Mikey and Sensei quickly saw the glints of the metal in the dim light, and looked at each other, and in a second they were in front of their family, protecting them.

"Fire the poison, Kraang"

"Ouch." Mikey stated, and he fell to his knees clutching his arm, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he crumpled to the floor.

"MIKEY! BUDDY!" Raph screamed as he spun round to see his youngest brother take a hit for him. He went down hard on his knees and crouched down next to Mikey. He then caught the sound of a dart rushing through air, and turned around just in time for Sensei to be hit with a dart.

"SENSEI!" Donatello and Raphael both cried out, but as soon as Sensei was in front of Donatello, he was lying at the feet of Don. Don shed a few tears of anguish and knelt down beside his Master.

"NO NO NO IT'S THE EXPERIMENTAL POISON. LEO!" Donnie yelled, causing Leo to spin on his feet and see the horrific sight. His eyes widened, but he remained calm for his brothers, rushing over to Donatello.

"Donnie? What?"

"NO TIME TO EXPLAIN WE NEED TO GET THEM HOME NOW!" Don yelled in a blind panic, giving one of Sensei's arms to Leo, and together they hoisted Splinter onto their back, and dropped down into the sewers, swiftly followed by Raph who was carrying an unconscious Michelangelo.

"Get them down onto the beds." Don ordered as they laid down both their Sensei and their brother on the bed. Immediately, Donnie rushed around, hooking up I.V'S, running blood tests and looking after his family.

Hours passed after Raph and Leo had fallen asleep next to their sick family members. They were quickly startled awake by Donnie, who had red puffy eyes, suggesting he had been crying. "Guys, the poison" Donnie began, but shut his eyes as tears threatened to break through. "It's, fatal." Don finished.

**well there we go! chapter 1, and a little cliffhanger for you guys (dont kill me im sorry) I will upload chapters on a daily basis, so check back tomorrow for more! **

**Please R&R, constructive criticism is always welcomed.**

**-libbzyol**


	2. Chapter 2

**heyo and welcome to another chapter of Choices! I really hoped you guys enjoyed the previous chapter, and as always, please r&r.**

**-libbzyol**

"What do you mean, Donnie?" Leo asked, as tears began to well up in his eyes.

"There's no hope, we cannot save them." Don finished, and fell to his knees, as his body convulsed and shook with his violent sobbing. Leo wrapped an arm around Donatello, but then looked up to Raph, who was blankly staring at the prone forms of his family on the beds.

"Raph?" Leo asked with concern in his voice, causing Don to stop sobbing momentarily to look at Raph.

Suddenly, Raph shot up from the chair, and ran out of the lab. Soon after they could hear grunts and crumbling rock.

"Donnie, is there any hope of an antidote which the Kraang might possess?" Leo asked, after thinking for a few moments. Donnie looked at him for a few moments, processing the information, before nodding slowly, and jumping up from the computer to check his files.

"I'm gonna go find Raph. Donnie, there is always hope." Leo stated, putting his bravest face on. Donnie looked up at Leo, half-heartedly smiled, and looked back to his computer, frantically searching his Kraan Tech files for any leads.

"Raph? Buddy?" Leo called out, as tears freely flowed down his cheeks. He had to let out everything he had been hiding, but unlike his other brothers, he did it in different ways. Soon enough, he found Raph in the Dojo, clutching his knuckle which looked to be bleeding. Leo sighed, and walked over to Raph, who was slumped against the wall, seemingly asleep. Leo took Raph into his arms, and carried him to the lab, where he set Raph down.

Donnie didn't even notice Leo had entered the room, as he was so deep into his research amongst hundreds of files.

Leo quickly cleaned Raphs wound, bandaging it and laying him down next to Mikey. Leo then kissed Raph's forehead, and was about to walk over to Donnie when he heard Donnie scream with glee.

"LEO LEO LEO!"

"What is it Don?" Leo exclaimed as he ran over to his brother.

"Look here! I found the file on the poison, and here, it says that they have an antidote!"

"That's great Don, where are they holding it?"

Don bowed his head slightly, sighing. "Central Block in their research facility at Kraang HQ."

Leo heaved a deep sigh. "I'll go get the telecoms gear. You wake up Raph, and ask April to come down here and look after Mikey and Splinter." Leo ordered, and Donnie nodded, grabbing an A4 sheet of paper from his printer.

"Raph? Buddy?" Donnie whispered, shaking his older brother awake.

"Wha, Donnie? What's wrong, are Mikey and Sensei OK?" Raph asked, as Donnie took Raph's arm, and walked him past his family on the bed. "Go find Leo in the Dojo, we're going to save our family." Donnie simply articulated, leading Raph out of the lab. He then fumbled for his phone and rang up April.

"April? It's Don. Look, Mikey and Sensei are sick, and we need to go to the Kraang facility to get the antidote, can you come down here and look after them? No, they are fine, but we need you. You sure? Thanks April. We are leaving now, so please get here ASAP. Thank you." Don hung up, and walked over to the prone form of Michelangelo. He pulled up a chair, and took his brothers hand in his.

"Heya Mikey, we are off to get the elixir to make you all better again. Be good, and don't you dare wake up until I get back. I love you, little bro. I promise, I will not rest until you are alive, kicking and annoying me once again." A tear drop fell onto Mikey's hand, and Don quickly wiped it away. He kissed Mikey's forehead.

Don then moved over to his Father, who was hot to the touch and wheezing slightly. "My Father. I will save you. After you took that hit for me, I, I" Don paused as he erupted into quiet sobs. "I couldn't believe my eyes. I knew you would do something for me like that, but, I never imagined" He paused again, stroking his Father's warm hand. "I'll see those eyes of yours very soon, Father." He kissed his Father, and then went over to his desk, and began to scribble a note to April.

_Dear April,_

_Thanks for doing this, it means a lot to all of us, and especially to Mikey and Sensei, even though they don't know it yet. Do what you can for them, and call me immediately if there are any problems. If anything, they are both very unresponsive, but both are running a fever, so try to cool them down a bit, and if any new symptoms persist, please inform me. Also, you might have to fill up their IV bags if we aren't back before midnight._

_Yours_

_Donnie __J_

He signed, and then pinned the note to his computer screen. He was about to shed a tear, when he heard Leo enter through his lab door.

"Ready? I managed to get Raph and the gear" Leo asked, tossing Donnie his tech bag.

Donnie nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be." He replied with confidence as he slipped his headset over his ear, and switched it on.

Suddenly, Raph appeared at the door, and without looking at Donnie, he spoke. "Let's save our family."

The brothers nodded, and with one swift movement, they had sped out of the lair door, and in the blink of an eye were on the rooftops.

**Thank you so much for reading! I had to split this section into 2, so I hope it is okay, and that you guys enjoyed it. See you soon!**

**-libbzyol**


	3. Chapter 3

**welcome to chapter 3 everybody! Thank you so much to those who have read this fanfiction, I really appreciate it. Please R&R, and enjoy the next chapter!**

**-libbzyol**

"So where are we going exactly, Don?" Raph asked through his headset

Don coughed and fumbled with his phone as he read the text from April. "Up ahead, ETA 2mins" He replied, before glancing down at his t-phone

"_With Mikey and Splinter now, everythings okay. Stay safe, Donatello xox"_

Donnie grinned, before looking up and seeing the research facility which held the antidote. He quickly put the phone into his belt.

"I have a visual on the facility. Leo?"

"Roger Don, we have 3 tangos on the rooftop, each at opposite corners. Raph?"

"5 tangos on the ground, but they won't see our silent wipe-out."

"I spy no cameras on the roof. Leo? Plan A?"

"Okay guys listen up. Don, you take left, I take centre, Raph take right. Stealth is the goal here. We go in, find the antidote, and go out, which means no cracking skulls, Raphael"

Raph grunted down the end of the headset in disappointment, but said nothing else as he continued to watch the facility, while listening to his wise older brother.

"Ready? Engage!" Leo shouted, and immediately the brothers pounced on the Kraang guards on the rooftops, cutting their circuitry. They then dragged the robot shells of the Kraang behind a cooling unit, and regrouped.

"Entry point, 3 o clock" Raph whispered, pointing to an air vent. Leo nodded, and ran over to the air vent, pulling off the cover, and attaching it to the side of the vent, before jumping down the vent. Donnie followed, and finally Raph.

"Thermals on" Leo ordered, and the brothers put on their thermals, and looked through the gaps in the air vents.

Donnie looked down at his tracker, and widened his eyes slightly. "Coming up on the antidote, should be in the next room" He stated, pointing to the next air vent cover that the brothers could see.

Leo was the first to peer through the cover, and he immediately raised an eyebrow. "Nobody?" He asked himself as he silently removed the cover. He then darted round the chamber, and hid behind a giant test tube. His brothers quickly joined him, scanning the room for potential threats.

"This isn't good. A place like this should never be this deserted. Something's not right." Donnie stated, but as soon as he said this, like as if on cue, a few Kraang bots jumped down from the rafters, blocking their path to the antidote.

"You hadda open your BIG MOUTH!" Raph exclaimed, and pulled out his Sai's from his belt.

"Okay guys, there's only 3. Keep it quiet" Leo ordered, and jumped up in the air, spinning a full 720 before chopping the head off the bot. It made a techno noise and crumpled to the floor, with its owner still inside the shell.

Raph was next, and he leapt over the head of the Kraang bot, causing it disorientation. Then, as it was turning around, Raph stabbed it in the centre with his Sai, twisted a few wires and pulled his Sai's out, making the bot dysfunctional.

Finally Donnie knocked out the Kraang in the centre of the shell, and the bot shut down. The turtles then dragged the bodies of the robots to the side of the room.

"Donnie, the antidote!" Leo whispered, pointing at the glass canister, which held the antidote. Donnie nodded and lunged for the antidote, gasping when it almost slipped out of his hand.

"Quick, lets book!" Leo yelled, and grabbing Donnies hand he pulled Donnie off the floor and into the air vent.

"Do any of you guys smell gas?" Raph asked suddenly as the smell came to his attention.

Donnie's eyes widened as he heard a rumble from behind him. A distant explosion sounded, and Donnie burst through his brothers, screaming his head off. "RUN RUN RUN!" He yelled.

MEANWHILE

Mikey began to stir, which caused April to come running to his side. She placed a warm hand on his plastron, and whispered to him. "Mikey?"

His blue eyes opened to slits as he stared up at Aprils calming face.

"Ape, man, what happened, ugh" Mikey managed to whisper as he grasped Aprils hand, but just as quickly as he had woken up, he slipped back into unconsciousness. April quickly grabbed her t-phone and rung Donnie, to tell him the update on Mikey.

"Uhh April, I'm a little busy for chit chat, WOAH" Donnie yelled through the phone.

"I thought this was supposed to be a RECON MISSION" April yelled back

"That's what I thought! What do you RAPH DUCK, ROCK! What did you WOAH want?"

"Mikey woke up briefly, Sensei didn't."

"WHAT? I DIDN'T HEAR THAT!"

April rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "MIKEY WOKE UP FOR A FEW SECONDS!" She screamed down the phone.

"Jesus April okay, right hang tight, we are just blowi-" He coughs. "I mean, leaving the research facility. I have the anti- WOAH dote and the instructions. BYE!"

"Why do I even bother with those boys sometimes" April groaned, hanging up the phone. She then wiped Splinters brow with a cool cloth, and sat down in the chair beside him.

No sooner had she put down the phone and drifted off to sleep, she heard the clattering of the lair door opening, and her three favourite turtles running in, headed straight for the lab.

"Guys? Successful trip?" April asked as the guys ran straight past her.

"Yeah, thanks April. You can go back to your study now, thanks for looking after our family." Leo smiled, placing a hand on Aprils shoulder.

April smiled into Leo's eyes, and ran out of the lair. Leo turned back to Donnie and Raph, who were sat around Don's computer.

"Guys, can you check on Mikey and Sensei? I need to run some tests on the antidote" Donnie spluttered as he sipped on some water next to his desk. Raph and Leo looked at each other briefly before running to a family member each.

2 Hours had passed and Donnie finally made a breakthrough, but it wasn't the one he had hoped for. He began to softly cry to himself as he stared at the information on his computer screen. His soft sobs suddenly turned into violent cries of frustration and anguish, as his whole body shook with the tears he was producing. Raphael woke up with a start, and rushed over to Donnie's side.

"Donnie? Hey, man, whats up?" Raph asked, pulling his younger in for a hug, which was soon joined by Leonardo.

"I-can't make this decision, no-one can" Donnie muttered to himself, staring at the vial of green liquid that he had gripped in between his fingers.

"What decision Donnie?" Leo asked soothingly, putting a hand on Don's shoulder.

Don took a deep sigh, as if to compose himself, and he turned to face his brother. "The antidote, it, there isn't enough for both of them" Donnie stopped as tears threatened to spill from his tired eyes. Raph's eyes widened, and Leo stood still in shock. "We- we- OH GOD, we can only save one of them" Don finished, crumpling to the floor beside his computer chair.

"NO, THIS ISN'T FAIR, DONNIE, THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT!" Raph screamed, as he threw Donnie's computer across his lab, smashing various walls with his fists.

"I'm sorry, Raph, there isn't anything else I can do. One will live, one will, die" Don whispered.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Raph bellowed, and he punched the wall again, this time breaking a few bones in his hand.

Meanwhile, Leo was still fixated in the same position, not able to speak, walk, or move. The only thing he could think about is deciding who they should save. He was suddenly aware of his surroundings, where Raphael had his head in his hands, lying on a bed, and Donatello was snapping his fingers in front of Leo.

"Leo? I think we're getting to him! Leo?" Donnie shouted, causing Leo to snap out of his thought quickly, and observe his surroundings.

"Don, what happened?"

Don sighed. "Since you got the bad news, you haven't moved from that position for 3 hours."

"Oh"

Leo paused, and then a few tears fell from his cheeks. "How are we gonna choose, between our family. I can't do that, nor can you."

"I do-" Don began, but he heard a faint beeping from the corner of the lab. He spun around quickly, to see Raphael pounding on the chest of their Father, crying out to Donnie.

"Donnie quick! He doesn't have a pulse! I, he, DONNIE HE'S FADING! HELP!" Raphael screamed, and Don was about to run over, but he noticed that Michelangelo was no longer breathing either. Donnie looked from one family member, to the other, and quickly ran over to Mikey and began to perform CPR, just as Leo passed out on the floor next to him.

"Crap LEO!" Donnie began to lose his breath as he pounded on the chest of another one of the family who was now fighting for his life. "JUST DO CPR RAPH, I CAN'T HELP YOU, EITHER WE LOSE ONE OR WE LOSE BOTH!"

"NO!" Raph cried back, as his tears mixed with the sweat dripping down from his brow.

"WE HAVE TO CHOSE, NOW!" Donnie screamed at Raph, who looked back at him with a look of pure depression, and hopelessness, something he had never seen in his brother before.

"WHO DO WE CHOSE? DONATELLO!"

"I-I-DON'T KNOW"

.

**thank you so much for reading the latest chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! (sorry for the cliffie oh dear) **


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING OF CHARACTER DEATH! Welcome to the next chapter of Choices! Warning, this will get very sad very suddenly, so please be prepared. Thank you for reading, please r&R!**

**-libbzyol**

MIKEY'S POV

I felt the warm air and the light suddenly appear around me, as I began to float high into the sky.

"Am I dying?" I asked myself, as I saw a very stereotypical Heaven, before my very eyes. I was in some sort of a tunnel, and there was a light at the end of it. I remember from every horror movie I have ever watched, that I shouldn't go towards the light, but, some force, was pulling me towards it. I began to walk, but suddenly a furry hand blocked my path, causing me to stop abruptly.

"Who's there?" I asked, frightfully

A familiar face stepped out of the brightness, and I immediately recognised him. Father. "Sensei!" I screeched, running to hug my father.

"Michelangelo, it is good to see you" He replied, gazing into my eyes. I looked back up at him, and at my surroundings, puzzled. "Something troubles you?"

"Yes Father. This might be a stupid question, but, where are we?" I asked with fear in my voice. My Father simply sighed, and wrapped an arm around me.

"This is Heaven, my son." He replied, in that deep, comforting voice I so loved.

Suddenly alarm bells started ringing in my head, and I began to panic. "But, that means, we are DEAD? HOLY CHRIST! WHAT HAPPENED SENSEI? ARE THE OTHERS OKAY? OH GOD OH GOD" I began to hyperventilate, until my Sensei quickly embraced me in a warm hug, calming me down instantly.

"My son, do you not remember getting poisoned by the Kraang?" Sensei asked, and I immediately remembered, and quickly nodded. He smiled at me and continued his explanation. "You see my son, from what I understand, the poison was fatal, and from overhearing your brother's conversations, they only had enough antidote to revive one of us" Sensei stopped, allowing me to sink in this new information.

"But if they saved one of us, who did they save? How on earth could they have chosen? And, why are we BOTH in Heaven?"

"Michelangelo, we are not in Heaven yet, because they chose you. They gave the antidote to you my son. I am going to Heaven, I am going down this tunnel, and you are going back to the darkness."

_No, this couldn't be. I can't go back to Earth, why did they chose me over their own father? They made the WRONG CHOICE! There is NO WAY I am going back to the darkness, I am going to Heaven with my FATHER! _

"Sensei I can't." I cried, sinking to my knees, sobbing softly. "I can't go back to them, knowing they chose me over you, I just can't! How can I go on without you, my Father?" I cried, unaware of the overwhelming force of gravity that was threatening to pull me back into the darkness.

"Michelangelo." My Father stood over me, and helped me to my feet, putting his hands on my shoulders, looking deep into my eyes. "Your brothers will not be able to go on without you, their sibling. They can manage without me, that's why they chose me. But you, my son, you are golden. Something special that your brothers cannot function without. You are the reason Leonardo and Raphael haven't destroyed each other yet. You are the reason Donatello leaves his laboratory. Where is our family without you? Which is why you need to join your brothers. Help them through this hard time, and they will help you."

"There has to be another way! I can't lose you Master! I-We can't lose you." I sobbed as I felt the darkness get even stronger

"There is no way out of this my son. Please, be at peace, you have barely lived. I have seen the world, and its beauty, and I have lived. You have not. You have so much more to live for." Splinter said to me, tears brewing in his eyes. He then placed two hands on my chest, and began to push me.

"NO I DON'T WANNA GO BACK! SENSEI! DON'T DO THIS!" I scream with whatever air is left in my dying lungs, but my father looks back at me with defiance, gentleness, and determination. I knew that I couldn't fight it, so I leant backwards into the darkness. As my eyes began to shut, I noticed my father looking down on me.

"Stay strong my son" I felt him whisper as I plunged back into the darkness, leaving my Father behind. Then, everything went black.

BACK IN THE LAIR

"I'VE GOT A PULSE! RAPH, HE'S BACK, HE'S OKAY!" Donnie yelled, stopping chest compressions on his fallen brother, and collapsing to his knees. He then turned his head to face his father's cot, and blinked slowly. Pushing from the floor with his hands, he walked over to their father, where Raph had long since given up compressions. "But my-my poor father" Donnie gulped. Looking behind him, he noticed Raph who had his head in his hands, tears seeping between the gaps in his fingers. He was convulsing slightly, and sniffing.

"Hes-hes gone" Raph sobbed, sinking into his chair more, as Donnie came over to join him. Before Don could begin to console his brother, he noticed Leonardo, who was still passed out on the floor of the Lair.

"What are we gonna tell Leo" Don whispered, as he cradled his limp brother in his hands, before placing him gently into a spare cot in the lab.

"Scratch that" Raph replied, looking up towards his braniac brother. "What are we gonna tell Mikey, I mean, he's just a kid!" Raph replied, his voice cracking when his brother's name passed his lips.

"M-m-mikey?" Leo stuttered as he awoke. Donatello was instantly by his side.

"Mikey's ok" Don replied, hiding the horrible truth from the blue clad ninja.

"Are you okay Donnie? You look like you've been crying? Here, let me get you a tis-" Leo stopped short as his eyes cast over to the cot opposite him, where he saw their Father lying, ever so still. "Sensei?" Leo asked, swinging his legs out of the cot, and walking over to his Father. He glanced at his brothers, who all stared back at him with blank looks, before staring at their feet again. Leo placed a hand on his Fathers paw, and flinched. He was cold.

"M-m-master?" Leo spluttered, his eyes panicking as he looked up and down his Fathers form. "No" He sobbed, and immediately collapsed to the ground, still clutching his Fathers hand.

"No, this can't be real. This is a dream, its just a dream." He spun around in a state of anger, shock and denial. He grasped Don by the shoulders and flung him into the wall. This caused Raphael to glance up from his feet for a brief moment, before looking back downwards. "Tell me you didn't. Tell me you saved our father!" Leo screamed, shaking Donnie's shoulders.

Don hiccupped, and glanced away from his brothers piercing gaze. "I'm sorry." He replied, still avoiding Leo's gaze. Leo blinked, and raised his fist, ready to punch Donnie.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE OUR FATHER? TELL ME, IS HIS LIFE THAT UNIMPORTANT?" Leo yelled with anger tinging his voice, stabbing into Donnie's heart like a knife.

"Leo, you know we could only save one, you know" Don began, but was quickly cut off by a raging Leonardo.

Leo clenched his fist and pulled it back, aiming for Don's face. "WELL THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TRIED MORE!"

Don squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head to the side, and raising his hands in front of his face to brace himself. He shook as he looked away from Leo, towards Raph, who had now shifted his gaze to a cup of water in front of him.

Suddenly, Leo blinked, and looked at his fist, then at Donnie. He immediately let Don go, who promptly collapsed to the floor, and took a few steps back. "I'm sorry Don. Oh god, I'm so sorry!" He apologised frantically, and ran out of the lab to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Don heard a groan from Mikey's bedside, and span round to face his brother, finding strength to grab his baby brother's hand.

"I'm so sorry Mikey. I'm so sorry" He quietly whispered, tears running down his face, dropping onto Mikey's plastron. "I'm so sorry" Don stuttered, and collapsed to the floor, his eyes drifting shut.

**oh gosh that chapter had me in tears when i was writing it! See you tomorrow everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiya everyone! Here is the next chapter of my latest fanfiction! Please enjoy! WARNING: this chapter is a little bit longer than the others :)**

**-libbzyol**

THE NEXT MORNING

_"Please come back"_

Raph stirred gradually, moaning as he did so. He stretched his arms above his head, and slowly opened his eyes. He scanned the room, until his eyes fell back on his Fathers form, now covered by a single white sheet. Tears threatened to spill, but he didn't have more to cry. Wiping his face with his hand, and using the chair to stand up he gradually stood up, and looked across to the other side of the lab. Donnie was asleep, his back pressed against the cot which housed his still unconscious brother. He then noticed Mikey's limp hand draped over Don's shoulder. As he looked, he felt a presence stand behind him. Raph then quickly turn his back on the scene, and he exited the lab, bound for Leo's room.

Hesitantly, he grabbed the doorknob and gently pulled the door, peaking through the gap. As he looked into the dark room, he saw it was in complete ruin. All of Leo's ornaments, and objects were all over the floor. A smashed chair could be seen in the back of the room, with each chair leg forced into the cracks in the walls. Raph looked over to Leo, who was uncomfortably asleep in his bed, the covers entangled in his body, a pained look on his face. Raph sighed in discontent, and gently closed the door behind him.

"This could tear us apart" Raph silently whispered to himself, and headed towards the bathroom. He walked over to the sink, and looked into the mirror, astounded by what greeted him. His eyes were puffed and red, his skin a pale shade of green and his lips chapped. Sighing heavily, he turned on the tap below him and splashed his face with the cold water, shivering as he did so. Drying his face with a towel, he then went back downstairs, and back into the lab. He didn't know what to do now. How could he know what to do now?

MIKEYS POV

I felt like I was floating just above my bed, looking down at my own body and the people around me. I noticed that my arm was draped over Don's shoulder, and that Raph was asleep in a chair, facing Sensei's cot.

_Where is Leo? _I thought to myself as I looked around the lab, my eyes landing on my fallen Fathers form.

_This is all my fault. If I hadn't have given in to him pushing me back down to Earth, I wouldn't be here right now, which would be better. For God sake, why did my brothers chose me over my father! Our father! _ I shivered, feeling tears drip down my face. When I went to wipe my face, all I felt was dryness.

_"Please come back" _I whispered, which then I realised Raph was stirring. I quickly spun back round and headed for his still body. He woke up and looked around for a few moments, noticing our Father in the cot. He stared for a few moments before pulling himself up, looking over at Donnie and myself. I moved round to the back of him, and he quickly spun around, almost to face me.

"Raph?" I asked, but there was no reaction. Could he see me? I followed him as he headed over to Leo's room. As he opened the door, I flew in, and I couldn't help by gasp. Our usually calm, level headed brother's room was a mess. Chair legs were forced into the walls, everything was broken.

"This could tear us apart" Raph sighed as I watched him go into the bathroom. I thought better of following him into there.

"You could be right Raphie" I replied, frowning at my astral form. Suddenly, I felt a force pulling me back towards the lab. I completely gave into the force, having no energy anymore. I was pulled straight through walls into the lab, and forced into my body. As I felt myself pull towards the blackness once more, I looked up to the ceiling of the lab, and saw my father's face, floating there.

"Father?"

"My son, I can sense the horrible atmosphere in our family. I don't doubt that you can feel it too?" He asked me. I simply nodded in response. "My son, you need to wake up soon. Our family are losing hope, and I have never seen Leonardo so distressed before."

"But Father, I thought you had gone?" I asked, confused.

"No my son, I will always be watching over you four, for eternity, waiting for you all to join me. Although I hope that it isn't soon." He replied, a gentleness to his voice. He almost sounded angelic to me. All of a sudden though, I doubled over in pain, as a sharp stabbing feeling radiated from my head.

"Ahhh!" I yelled, the light above me becoming bright.

"I fear I have to go now. We will speak again, Michelangelo." He smiled, and then faded, just as the pain in my head became to much to bear. The light kept growing stronger and stronger, and my head began to feel like it would explode.

"ARRRGGG!"

BACK IN THE LAIR

As Raph stared at Mikey's still limp form, he noticed a spike in the monitors which were continuously beeping, reassuring Raphael. Panicking, Raph ran up to them, studying them.

"I cant understand this! DONNIE! WAKE UP MAN SOMETHINGS HAPPENING!" Raph yelled, shaking Don's shoulders. He immediately stood up, his eyes full of panic.

"Whats happening? Is Splinter alive?" Donnie asked hopefully. Before Raph had the chance to respond, Don noticed the madly beeping monitors connected to Mikey. "Mikey? Can you hear me buddy?" Don asked, with kindness and warmth to his voice, something that Raph hadn't heard for a while.

"Whats going on Donnie?" Raph asked, placing a hand on Don's shoulders.

Don spun round to face Raph. "The monitors just registered a spike in brain activity!" Don excitedly shouted. As he did, his face fell slightly as he looked over Raphs shoulders at his Fathers body. "We need to bury Father soon Raph" Don whispered to Raph. Raph nodded.

"I'll get Leo" Raph replied, and ran out of the room, leaving Donnie and Mikey to themselves, who had begun to writhe about on the bed.

Within a few seconds, Raph had returned with a very dazed and zoned out Leo in his grasp.

"Anything?" Leo spluttered, looking at Mikey's writhing, twitching form on the bed.

"He's waking up!" Don replied, leaning in closer to Mikey. "Come on bro, we need you, Leo needs you" Donnie whispered so the others wouldn't hear.

"I'm right here Don" A hoarse voice spoke, and Don looked back down at Mikey to see both of his eyes open, and his hand grasping Don's.

"MIKEY!" They all screamed, running up to their brother, tears falling from their faces.

"It's good to see you guys too." Mikey replied, looking behind his brothers at his Father, lying so still in the cot. "We need to bury our Father soon, guys." Mikey whispered solomly.

Don took a few steps back, astounded. "How did you?" Don began, but was quickly cut off.

"I can't believe you guys chose me over Sensei." Mikey spluttered, cupping his face with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut.

"We had to Mikey. You had so much life, it was what Splinter would have wanted" Raph replied, placing a hand on Mikey's shoulder.

"It's all my fault!" Mikey replied, tears now streaming down his cheeks. "I could have saved him!" Mikey yelled, sobbing loudly.

"No-one could have saved him Mikey" Leo quietly replied, his eyes never looking above his feet.

"You don't understand! I was in heaven! Father, he, he was there! I told him I didn't want to leave but he pushed me down to Earth, I could have taken him with me, but, but, I didn't! Oh my god, I killed our Father!" Mikey screamed, sobbing violently. His brothers understood Mikey's pain, not being able to say anything for a few minutes.

Suddenly, Leo remembered a conversation that he had with Splinter, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled the conversation.

_"Leonardo, I fear that my time on this world is drawing to a close, and I need to tell you this while I still have a chance." Splinter sighed, taking Leo's shoulder and pushing him gently onto a cushion opposite him._

_"Father?"_

_"Don't speak Leonardo. I feel as though the spirits are telling me my time is coming soon, and I need you to listen closely, should this conversation ever come in useful. It has been told, in Japanese mythology, that the dead are never in fact dead. Now, my son, I am not saying that the dead can be revived, but they can live on in someone's mind, their spirit can never truly die. Therefore, if it comes to it, you must cremate my body, and place it into an urn my son. If you do this, my spirit will remain watchful over you, and despite myself not being on this world anymore, a part of me still would be. I can talk to you and your brothers at certain times every 5 years or so. The urn you need is behind me." Splinter finished, and placed the urn in Leo's hands._

_"But Sensei, is there no way to revive you?" Leo asked, grasping the urn in his hands._

_"No Leonardo. Everything happens for a reason, and if you try to change that then bad things will happen my son. Now please, keep this safe, and use it if you need to."_

"-eo?"

"Bro?"

Leo slowly opened his eyes, to find Donnie and Raph crouched around him, whilst Mikey was leaning out of his cot, balancing on the various wires connected to his body.

"We can't save Father, but we can keep alive his memory" Leo replied positively. He then quickly jumped up off the floor, almost knocking Raphael over in the process.

"Wait bro, what are you doing?" Mikey yelled after Leo as he ran out of the room, bound for his bedroom. A few seconds later Leo returned, holding a bright blue and gold urn in his hands. All 3 brothers recognised the object immediately and bowed their heads.

"Why would you bring this in here bro?" Raph asked gently, looking back up at Leo with sadness filed amber eyes.

Leo sighed before answering. "Master Splinter told me, a while ago, that if you place his ashes in here then we can talk to him every 5 years or so, and he will appear sometimes. I mean guys, we aren't gonna get him back, but this is the most we can do" Leo sighed solemnly, and held out the urn.

The brothers were interrupted by the sound of the heart rate monitors flat lining. Donnie spun round quickly in horror, only to find Mikey had ripped them off, and was now standing behind Don and Raph, swaying ever so slightly.

"Well" Mikey began. "What are we waiting for?" He asked, grasping the cot bars tightly.

Leo nodded. "Mikey's right, this is as good of a time as we will ever get."

"I just wish we had a chance to spread his ashes." Don sighed. "I want a proper send off, even if we might be seeing him again, sort of, I need something to help me keep moving" He exasperated, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

Leo walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can't spread his ashes, but I have the next best thing." Leo said with a smile. He then walked over to the edge of the lab, and grabbed Master Splinter's walking stick with both hands, and brought it back over to Don, who took it from Leo, grasping it to his chest. "Now, let's get a fire burning, shall we?"

Raph frowned. "But we can't do it in the sewers surely?" He protested, blocking Leo's path.

"You're right Raph, I suppose we can't. Anyone got any ideas?" Leo asked.

"Just the one." Don replied with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Please enjoy this next chapter of Choices! WARNING: funeral in this chapter.**

**-libbzyol**

10 HOURS LATER

The brothers had made it to their location, at the specific time they wanted to. It took them a while, they had never driven out of New York, and if they had been stopped by police, then it would have been all over. Leo and Raph had sat up front, with Raph driving, while Donnie had been navigating to the location that he had chosen. Mikey was simply sat in the back of the battle shell, holding onto the body bag which contained their fallen Father. He was strangely quiet, and continued to stare into space, perhaps not prepared to say farewell to his Father.

"We're here." Donnie stated, and opened the back doors of the Battle Shell. Raph and Leo then got out, and made their way to the back of the truck. Donnie then entered the truck, and took his brother's arm, pulling him to his feet, away from their Fathers body.

"Come on Mikey, you're gonna love this place" Donnie told Mikey, with a warmth to his voice that Mikey held onto. Mikey looked at Donnie with his beautiful blue eyes, and nodded slowly, as he was taken out of the van.

"Welcome to Harriman State Park" Don announced with a smile, watching as Mikey's eyes lit up.

"Its-its-" Mikey began but was quickly cut off by Raph.

"Perfect." Raph finished, staring out across the luscious green parkland of New York State.

"Donnie, how did you find this place?" Leo asked, admiring the landscape that they saw in front of them, placing Master Splinter down on the ground next to them.

"Read it in a book, a long time ago" Don replied. "Where we are now? Bear Mountain, tallest part of the Park." Don finished, staring out at the landscape. The brothers had arrived at the park a few hours before sunrise, and were currently standing on the rocky outcrop. Beyond them lay hills of green trees, of all different sizes and shapes, and the brothers could just make out a lake in the distance.

"We better start building this fire, we don't want to miss sunrise." Leo softly observed, and Don and Raph nodded, walking off into the woods to collect some firewood. "Here Mikey" Leo smiled, and led his baby brother towards the edge of the outcrop. He then sat down on the edge of the outcrop, and patted a space next to him. "Come sit, Mikey" Leo gently asked. Mikey nodded and sat next to his brother, legs dangling over the edge. Mikey looked down below them, and all he could see were green trees, and a dirt path running just underneath the outcrop. "Here, you stay here, I'm gonna help the others. Keep watch." Leo told Mikey, and patted his shoulder before he got up and walked down into the woods, leaving just Mikey and Master Splinter.

**( I listened to this song whilst writing the cremation section of this story- I recommend listening to it whilst reading this- WRITING POEMS - LUDOVICO EINAUDI)**

"Is this what you would have wanted Sensei?" Mikey asked. He paused for a few moments to see if he would get a reply, but he didn't. Sighing, he lay down on his back, looking up towards the sky. On the horizon the sky was beginning to start changing colours, but right above Michelangelo, the stars still shone brightly. Mikey could just make out the galaxy that Don had told him was the Milky Way, running its course through the crisp night sky.

"It's beautiful, Sensei." Mikey sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't want to come back down here, to Earth, I mean I just didn't want to leave you behind! I'm sure things are better for you up there, with all the food you could eat, and so much time to train and practice. I bet you've taught all the angels how to dragon kick." Mikey laughed, and paused to wipe a few tears from his face that had begun to fall.

"You know, I never got the chance to tell you I was sorry. I always used to goof off in training, and I always tried your temper, but you would never get angry. I'm so sorry." Mikey hesitated. "When we meet again, I hope you can forgive me." Mikey sighed, and pushed himself up off his back, and stared off into the horizon. He fingered his nun chucks in his belt, and pulled one out.

"I still remember the day you gave me these. My safeguard. The only thing protecting me from the evil of this world. But with these I can only see beauty. The world is truly beautiful, and I thank you for showing me that." Mikey smiled to himself, and pushed himself up off the floor. He then walked back to the battle shell, and came out holding his Father's stick. He placed it next to his Father, and prepared the area for the fire. He also got the urn out of the back of the truck, and placed it on the edge of the outcrop.

A few minutes later, Mikey's brothers arrived back, each with stacks and stacks of fresh wood.

"This should do it" Leo stated as he placed his pile in the spot Mikey had laid out for them. The other two brothers then laid out the wood. They had split the fire into two piles, one pile for Master Splinter, the other for his walking stick. Once they had finished, all eyes diverted to the horizon.

"It's going to be sunrise in 30minutes, let's do this now while we still have the chance." Raph observed, his voice no more than a whisper. Mikey then walked up to his Father, and unzipped the body bag. The smell that greeted him was far from pleasant, but all was forgotten when he stared into his Father's face, longing to see him one last time. Leo then got behind Mikey, and pulled him away, as Don and Raph gently eased the body bag off Sensei, laying him onto the larger wood pile. Mikey could only watch as Leo then nodded to Raph, who pulled out a lighter from his waistband. He then pulled out another one, which he gave to Donnie.

"Go on Mikey" Don gently encouraged Mikey, and he nodded, picking up Splinters walking stick, and placing it on the top of the wood pile. Leo followed him and the brothers got behind the fires, so that they could watch the sun rise. The wood piles were both on the edge of the outcrop.

"Are we all ready? Mikey?" Raph asked, looking down the line of brothers as he opened the lighter, ready to flick it on. Mikey simply nodded, and stared straight into the wood pile which housed his Father.

"I would like to say something, a passing poem that Father once told me." Leo asked, to which the three brothers nodded.

"Suikomu, ikiwohakidasu bakkufowādo, shinde, ribingu: Yajirushi wa, ni sorezore o hikō shite mimashou kaku mīto tochū de, suraisu mokuteki no nai hikō-chū no boido - shitagatte, watakushiha ni modoru sōsu."

IN ENGLISH: "Inhale, exhale Forward, back Living, dying: Arrows, let flown each to each Meet midway and slice The void in aimless flight - Thus I return to the source."

When Leo finished, he, and the three brothers all whispered goodbye to their Sensei in their own special way. Then Raph and Donnie stepped forward, flicking on their lighters, and holding them to the bottle of both wood piles, setting the bottom alight. Once they had done that, they then closed their lighters, and stepped back, dropping them to the ground. All four brothers then moved closer to each other, brushing each others shoulders, and looked through the flames into the sunrise that was appearing over the horizon. Each brother had a tear running down their face as the flames began to engulf both their Master and their Master's walking stick. 10 minutes in, Mikey's body began to shake with hushed sobs of despair and continued to sob quietly as he watched his Father turn to ash in front of him. Leo squeezed Mikey's shoulder gently, to which Mikey responded by squeezing his eyes shut, and bowing his head to the ground. A single tear dripped down his face, and dripped onto the parched and dusty ground.

After an hour, Splinters body had almost completely turned to ash, and the four brothers had almost run out of tears. As they watched the final piece of their Sensei turn to ash, they all suddenly saw a flash of blue light as their Sensei had crumbled to ash. Astounded, the brothers looked at each other with shock and surprise, before looking to the fire, seeing that their Father had gone. Mikey turned to the second fire, which had burned out long ago..

Mikey then gathered up the ash at the bottom of the fire, and held it in his hands, despite the ashes still being hot to touch. "Guys" He called, and his brothers quickly ran up to him. "Take a bit each" Mikey gently ordered, and held out his two hands, each containing black ash. The brothers nodded and each took an equal share of the ashes, wincing as they touched the hot remains of Splinter's beloved walking stick. Then, on the count of three, the brothers threw the ashes off the edge of the outcrop, and into the forest below. The brothers watched the particles fly through the air for a few moments, before they turned their attention to the ashes of their Father.

"We need to collect them and go, before people start arriving" Donnie stated quietly, knowing how fragile his brothers were at that moment.

"No of course, you're right Don. Here, Raph and I will collect them, you and Mikey go have a rest for a bit." Leo replied, directing Don and Mikey to the outcrop where Michelangelo had sat previously. Leo and Raph then began to collect up the ashes of their Father. If you looked closely, you could see a few tears roll down the red clad turtle's face, but he would never let you see any. They then placed the ashes in the urn, and got into the car, with Raph holding the precious urn in his lap.

"Its what he would have wanted" Mikey chocked out, wiping one of his eyes with the back of his hand.

Donnie simply nodded, wrapping an arm around Mikey's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself for what happened Mike. It was his decision to block the dart, and it was our decision to save you. Mikey, everyone has a time, and this happened to be Sensei's. It will be ok though, I promise." Donnie paused, taking a deep breath in, trying to keep his composure. "You said it yourself, Heaven was beautiful, and our dad, well our dad always loved gorgeous places, and Heaven is the prettiest place in the entire universe. Chilling with angels, he is having a great time. And before you know it, so will we." Don finished, wiping his eyes.

"I suppose you're right Donnie." Mikey replied, staring out into the horizon. He looked down towards his lap, and separated his two interlocked hands in a quick motion. "I think I've got the closure I wanted." Mikey whispered, opening his palms and staring into the middle of them. He shifted a little, frowning at his outstretched palms that were laced with scars from previous battles. He stroked a particularly large scar unconsciously, his attention diverting to his genius brother, who had gotten to his feet, and had a hand now resting on his shoulder.

"You ready Mikey?" Don cautiously asked. Mikey simply nodded, and Donatello helped him to his feet, his legs still a little unsteady after everything he had been through.

"Let's go home."

**Be prepared, the last chapter is the next one to be uploaded! I shall see you all then tomorrow for the last time :((**


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome to the final instalment of Choices! Its been a crazy ride, and I hope I can end this quite sad story on a high note. Thank you to everyone who has read this story and R&R'd, it really does mean a lot. I promise to have more stories being uploaded soon. Stay safe, and god bless everyone!**

**-libbzyol**

5 YEARS LATER

"LEO LEO LEO" Mikey yelled from the top of the lair, trying to get the attention of his elder brother.

"Come on Mikey you aren't a child anymore, what is it?" Leo asked, as he met his brother on the top balcony.

Mikey sighed. "It's been 5 years Leo, and nothing. You said we'd hear from him, but, nothing. We should have scattered the ashes dude."

Leo shook his head, placing a comforting hand on Mikey's shoulder. "You seem to be forgetting something my dear one" Leo replied, in a patronising manner, much to Mikey's dislike. "It's been 5 years, so we get 1 opportunity to talk to him again. Today." Leo finished with a smile. Mikey looked up at Leo, and his eyes filled with nothing but pleasure. Despite it not being Mikey's fault, for the past 5 years Mikey had felt incredibly guilty for what happened to their Father, and Leo hoped that today could be the day that Mikey could get some closure.

"LET'S DO IT THEN!" Mikey screamed, and was about to leap down into the dojo, when he was stopped by a firm hand.

"We can do this Mikey, but we are doing it as a family" Leo replied, and then released his arm blockade, to which Mikey jumped down into the dojo, and burst through the doors that led to Sensei's old room. Immediately, he was greeted by the familiar smell of the room, and about 5 layers of dust that were on every surface.

"ACHOO!" Mikey sneezed loudly, and sniffed, rubbing his nose.

"Bless you" Donnie answered, and walked into the room. "So, I heard we were finally getting to talk to dad again"

"A little birdie told me about that too" Raph replied, entering the room, closely followed by Leo.

"Okay Leo, what do we do?" Mikey asked, grabbing the urn from the side and blowing off the dust.

"Okay, well we sit in a circle and meditate firstly, but I have no idea what happens after that" Leo admitted , taking his place on the dusty, stone floor, swiftly followed by his three other brothers. They then formed their circle in the centre of their Sensei's room, and shut their eyes, beginning to meditate. Mikey always hated meditating, but he was sure he could make an exception, just this once.

5 MINUTES LATER

"My sons, it is good to see you again." Master Splinter's voice echoed around the room, and all four turtle's eyes snapped open immediately.

"Sensei?" Mikey asked, a little unsure.

"Hello Michelangelo" Master Splinter replied, and finally materialised in the centre of the circle. He looked at each of them in turn, gazing for a few moments. "Look how much you've grown" He observed, whilst wiping a few astral tears from his face.

"We've missed you, Master." Raph whispered quietly.

Splinter sighed, nodding his head. "Myself as well, my son. I have heard of your accomplishments from Heaven, and I wanted to say how proud I am of all of you. I still remember watching the funeral you held for me, it was beautiful my sons. And I felt the emotion and the kindness in every anniversary ceremony you have held for my death in the years since. I taught you well, children."

"We aren't so childlike anymore" Don noted, looking down into his lap. Splinter gave a small smile, and floated over to Donnie, crouching down onto the floor, his hand on Donnie's chin.

"So you aren't, my goodness you do look like a 21 year old" Sensei replied.

"Master, how, how long have you-" Leo stuttered, but chocked up before finishing his sentence.

Sensei bowed his head, closing his eyes "Only but a few minutes." Splinter stated, expressing the horrifying truth.

"WHAT? SENSEI YOU CAN'T GO!" Mikey yelled angrily, uncrossing his legs. As he did this, Splinters astral form became distorted, but only for a few moments, as Mikey realised what he had done, and he quickly resumed his stance, maintaining his focus once more.

"I have to go Michelangelo." Splinter sadly replied, looking into Mikey's eyes."Perhaps you all will have a family one day."

A sharp intake of breath could be heard, as Leo drew in a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes fixated on his Father's astral form. "I hope we get the same chance you did, Father" Leo choked, his eyes bloodshot and filled with tears.

"Leonardo, everything you have done for this family has been well appreciated, and you have grown into an incredibly capable leader. Well done my son, you are almost a true master of Boshido. Continue to protect your brothers, as they will always need your leadership and guidance, despite their age". Master Splinter finished. Leo bowed his head, and Splinter bowed his in response. Leo continued to bow his head as his Father then glided over to where Raphael was seated.

Splinter gently sighed, looking into the burning amber eyes Raphael was blessed with. "Raphael, it is good to see that you have managed to put a cap on the rage and anger you used to feel" Splinter noted, placing a hand on Raphael's shoulder. Raph tensed, but flinched visibly when he couldn't feel his Father's touch. "I will see you soon, Raphael" Raph simply nodded, and watched as Splinter got up, headed towards Donatello.

"Father?" Donatello asked. "This is truly impossible"

Splinter laughed, kneeling next to the purple clad ninja. "Ahh Donatello, it is refreshing to see that you haven't changed. Science always was the most important part of your life, and from what I have heard, it still is." Donnie laughed in response, and simply nodded back at his Father. "One day I hope to hear the news that you have won the Nobel Peace Prize, my son."

A small, choked sob escaped from the youngest brother, and all eyes turned to face Michelangelo. Sensei's face visibly softened, and he floated over to his youngest son. "Don't be afraid my son" Splinter gently said, kneeling in front of Mikey.

Mikey looked up nervously, his eyes glinting as he took in his Father's form once again. "I'm sorry, Father"

"Michelangelo. You have nothing to be sorry about. You have turned into a fine Ninja, and you are destined for greatness. Don't let this blame keep bringing you down my son. No-one has to shoulder any blame for any of this. Please remember that" Splinter paused, allowing Mikey to slowly nod his head, tears spilling out of his eyes every time he moved his head. "Be at peace, Michelangelo, for we will see each other soon." Splinter finished, and just before he got up, Mikey noticed just a hint of sadness and foreboding darkness in his Fathers' otherwise calming eyes. However, Mikey shrugged it off, interlocking his palms once again, resting them in his lap, watching his Father's every move.

"What now, Father?" Leo asked nervously, slightly concerned at the answer that would follow.

Splinters gaze softened, his face falling. "I must be going now, Leonardo. I am sorry that we could not have spent more time together." Splinter revealed. Leo and Don bowed their heads in reaction, while Mikey stared back down into his palms, which were still interlocked. He then began to put pressure on them, tensing them to separate, but never quite letting go. Raphael simply clenched his palms into fists, and continued to stare up at Sensei. "My sons, I shall always be with you in spirit, do not forget this" Splinter reminded the turtles, and they all nodded robotically. Splinter sighed, and opened his mouth to speak again. Just as he did, his form began to falter, and then all of sudden, it disappeared. The brothers were silent for a split second, before they had a chance to react.

"Sensei?" Mikey called, but to no avail. Instead of staring at his Father, he was now staring at Don, who was staring right back at him. Mikey bowed his head solomly, and allowed the pressure which was building inbetween his interlocked hands to stop, and he quickly separated his palms, resting his left hand on his left thigh, and his right hand on his right thigh. He then looked up from the floor, to find his brothers standing over the top of him.

Raphael smiled, and held out a hand. "So, how about that patrol?" Raph gently asked. Mikey nodded, and grabbed Raph's hand firmly, allowing himself to be pulled swiftly to his feet.

"Our Father is in a better place, and we have to remember that." Leo suddenly spoke, and all three turtles swiveled round to face their leader. "We have to continue his legacy, like we always have done." Leo finished, and unsheated his Katana. Then, without a single word, he then exited Splinter's room, and ran out of the lair. The three brothers turned to each other and shrugged, before running after their leader.

Tonight was going to be a night to remember.

**GOOD NEWS**

**I have decided to add just 1 more chapter (perhaps two) to the end of this story, because I feel like this ending truly wasn't enough, so bear with me and i shall bring out new chapters as soon as possible (i have mock exams rn so please bear with me)**

**See you guys soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome to the continuation of Choices! I decided to end it differently. Please R&R, and enjoy!**

**-libbzyol**

2 MONTHS LATER

It had been a long time since the brothers had spared their Father much thought. A new threat, a masked Foot threat was now bearing down on their backs, and every second of every day was spent debating what their next move might be. Mikey had tried to keep his Father's image in his mind, but he needed to focus, now more than ever. As a fully grown adult, now aged 21, Mikey had matured in his behaviour and personality, but his childlike and innocent spirit still lurked deep beneath his skin. But he wasn't the only one. Raphael still had to cope with his rage, Leonardo with his constant blaming and shaming of himself, and Donnie with his scientific urges. They were not children anymore, but they knew that their old selves were underneath all their green skin, somewhere.

But one day, on a cool summer's evening, Donatello had a breakthrough. He had been tapping away at his computer for hours, just trying to grasp any lead on this new masked terror, when he found a match.

He blinked, and leaned closer into the screen. "I don't believe it" He whispered, scanning the screen 3 times over. "I don't believe it!" He then yelled, jumping back in his swivel chair, sending it flying halfway across the lab. He then leaned back into it too far, and with an almighty thud, he went crashing to the floor.

A mild curse could be heard in the other room, followed by three pairs of footsteps heading towards the lab. The door was violently swung open, and Raph and Leo entered the lab quickly, followed close behind by Mikey. Coincidentally, Mikey had been making his braniac brother a cup of coffee, when Donnie's sudden outburst startled him, making him knock over the boiling hot coffee onto his hand. He cursed, and then quickly followed his brothers into the lab, grabbing his right hand with his left, coffee still dripping off his hand.

"Don?" Raph asked, offering a hand for Don to take as he pulled himself off the floor. But as Don stared back at Raph, Raphael was taken aback. There was a look of excitement in Don's eyes, that the brothers hadn't seen for a long time.

The excitement quickly turned to worry, as he saw Mikey squirming, just behind Leo, grasping the back of his hand tightly. "You okay bro?"

Mikey grunted, looking up at Don. "Gah, do I look like I'm okay?" Mikey replied through gritted teeth.

"Here, let me have a look" Don calmly replied, and gently took Mikey's hand. "First degree burn I would say" Don noted, and reached behind him into his medicine cabinet, pulling out some burn cream and some bandages. He then pointed over to the sink, directing Mikey over there. "Go rinse it under cold water for 5 minutes, and listen closely because I have some great news" Don instructed and Mikey simply nodded, making his way over to the sink.

Mikey turned on the cold stream of water, and after taking a few deep breaths, he launched his hand under the cold water, and was immediately greeted with pain. He then spun his head round to look back at his three brothers, as they discussed what Don had discovered.

"So what great news is this then, Donnie?" Leo asked, unfolding his arms and moving a little closer to the purple clad ninja.

Donnie's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly, running over to his computer. He picked up his swivel chair along the way, and sat in it, sliding it under the computer desk neatly. His brothers quickly followed. "Here" Don pointed, his green finger pointing out some bold text in an obviously encrypted document. As the brother's began to read, they realised exactly what they should be excited about.

"NO WAY! THAT'S TONIGHT!" Raph yelled, slamming his fists into the fragile table, causing Donnie's computer to bounce an inch in the air. Leo simply smiled, with almost a smug look on his face. This celebration was quickly interuppted by a small, but strong voice on the other side of the lab.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Mikey asked impatiently. All three brothers spun around and walked over to Mikey.

Don then reached towards the tap and shut it off, moving Mikey's hand and applied the burn cream. "I think you should explain, Leo" Don remarked, as he then started to wrap the scalded hand in bandages.

Leo nodded, and gave a smile, his hand resting gently on Mikey's muscular shoulder. "You know our little masked menace?" Leo teased, to which Mikey nodded, wincing slightly as Donnie applied a little bit too much pressure on Mikey's hand. "Well, we think we have a lead" Leo finished, giving Mikey's shoulder a squeeze.

It took Mikey a few moments to process this new information, but when he did, he jumped up in the air, excited and happy. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" He shouted in glee, his smile reaching from ear to ear. Thankfully, Donnie had finished bandaging Mikey's hand by this time, so Mikey could freely jump about.

"I'm serious." Leo paused. "Our masked warrior and his gang of cronies are headed for the docks this evening, between 11:00pm-2:00am to pick up some sort of shipment" Leo informed.

"Something which is bound to cause trouble" Raph added quickly.

"This would be the perfect oppurtunity to ambush them, and take down this new threat to New York City, and our family" Don stated, his smile faltering. "And to make our Father proud of us" He added. The three brothers nodded, with a sheer look of determination in their eyes as they thought about making their Father proud.

Mikey smiled. "So, lets leave at 9:00pm?" Mikey asked.

Leo nodded. "It's gonna take us a while to get there, so we should leave relatively early." He hesitated. "Donnie, bring your medi bag" Leo added, his eyes shifting to the floor. God forbid if anything happened to the brothers, but he just had a funny feeling about this ambush that he just couldn't shake. Mikey visibly shuddered at the words Leo said, but composed himself before his brothers could see.

"Good idea Leo. This fight is going to be pretty intense, similar to all of our battles with the Shredder. We need to be prepared." Don replied, digging out his medi bag from under his desk. "You might need these" Don added, showing Mikey some extra bandages, in case the ones on his hand faltered.

"Okay guys" Leo started. "We leave at 9:00pm. Get yourselves ready, and be prepared for one of the biggest victories we shall ever face as a family." Leo confidently stated, and all 4 brothers hugged it out.

Mikey nodded confidently. "Let's do this."

**Thank you so much guys for checking out this story! I really hope that the ending I have planned goes down well. As always, constructive criticism is welcomed, and please R&R. But for now, see you in a couple days!**

**-libbzyol**


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